Mockery of Deen

There are many people who, despite their claims to Islam, seek to find fault with or disparage its teachings or beliefs, or make a mockery of Islam.

In the early days, we use to travel to India by boat. It took us 21 days to reach Bombay. During my third year, when I was travelling back to India, I met a doctor on board the boat.

In conversation he said to me: “Maulana, you people talk about the angels; that each person has an angel on his right shoulder and on his left shoulder and these angels record the deeds of a person. If this is the situation, then our shoulders would have been so broad that we would not have found a coat to fit us!”

In turn, I questioned him: “You must have attended school?”

He replied : “Yes.”

I asked: “From class one to matric?”

He replied : “Yes.”

I said : “You furthered your studies, doing medicine?”

Again, he said : “Yes.”

I continued: “You attended University, travelled to different countries? I am sure you remember all this?”

I said : “If I were to take you to your hometown, you will remember much. All this knowledge which you acquired during your life, through your studies and travels, where is it? It is stored in your brain. Yet, if the situation is as you say it is, your head would have been so big that you would not have found a hat to fit it.”

…Sarcasm or cynicism in regards to Deen is extremely dangerous. It takes one to the threshold of Kufr; sometimes even out of the fold of Islam. If a person says that he believes, it means that he hears and understands and accepts that there are many things which are beyond the human intellect. Imaan is “bil ghayb” (in the unseen).

There are many things which we do not see, but which we believe exists. The air that we breath, the different bacteria and germs in the atmosphere, which the eye does not see, but science has informed us of its existence or we see the signs of it. The signs of Allah Ta’ala are all around us; even in us.

“On the earth are signs for those of assured Faith, As also in your own selves : Will you not then see?”
[Surah Zariyat 51 : 20/21]

We may not see the angels, or the pulsiraat, or Jannah and Jahannum, but Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) was the one who saw the unseen. And our Imaan is in Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam).

Just as it is the duty of the blind person to put his hand into the hand of the one who sees – that is, if he wants direction, guidance and wants to reach his destination safely, so too, it is our duty to put our hands into the hand of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) – meaning that we hear, accept and obey.

Otherwise, criticizing and mocking any aspect of Deen is indirectly mocking or finding fault with the Creator of the Deen; with grievous consequences.

May Allah Ta’ala grant us the understanding, as well as appreciation for the beautiful and perfect Deen of Islam.
Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (rahmatullah alayh)